Tim Nimely entered Thursday night hungry for a chance at redemption. The Muskie sophomore was the lone wrestler on the team who didn’t place in the gold bracket at the Fort Madison Invitational last Saturday and was determined to enter Christmas break on a high note.

Mission accomplished.

Nimely won both of his matches in convincing fashion as the Muscatine wrestling team split a pair of home duals Thursday night. Muscatine lost the opening dual to Davenport Assumption 48-15 but bounced back to beat Davenport Central 62-9.

“Against Central we wrestled really well and showed what we’re capable of,” Muscatine coach Joe Kane said. “Against Assumption we competed, but they’re a good team that exposed us in some places.”

For Nimely, the only blip in an otherwise dominant night was in the third period of his match against Davenport Assumption’s Clay Harland. After jumping out to a 13-1 lead, Nimely was outscored 6-3 in the final period and didn’t pick up a technical fall or a pin in a match in which Kane felt like the Muskies needed it.

“Coach (Kane) wants us to work on good position,” Nimely said. I wasn’t in great position and so that kid kind of caught me. I just have to learn and get better from it.”

However, the second match went off without a hitch, as Nimely aggressively wrestled his way to a major decision over Davenport Central’s Callum Swanson in the 170-pound weight class to earn a 2-0 record on the night.

“Today I came in with the mindset of going 2-0,” Nimely said. “He was the last one so I had to finish strong and get it done for the team. Coach (Kane) always tells me to shoot because I have a good shot.”

Senior Brennan Broders was handed just his third defeat of the season in a 5-1 loss to Davenport Assumption’s Kole Kreinbring at 182 pounds. Julien Broderson pinned Dalton Sell at 195 pounds. Takpor Tiah, meanwhile, was pinned despite holding a 5-1 lead and dominating the majority of the match against Davenport Assumption’s Evan Forker at 152 pounds.

“He’s lost a couple of matches now when he got pinned when he was winning,” Kane said of Tiah. “It gets back to staying in good position. In this case tonight he was driving through one of his leg attacks and got rolled through.”

However, the Muskies did return the favor later in the dual when freshman Tyler Garrison, who trailed Davenport Assumption’s Collin Wehr at 113 pounds, got a reversal and a decisive pin, earning the loudest roar of the night from the Muscatine home crowd.

“That does a ton for confidence and team momentum,” Kane said. “Especially with a young wrestler, however the wins come are going to build his confidence. Tyler Garrison has probably been the nicest surprise this season.

“I didn’t even know who he was two months ago.”

After the loss to Assumption, Muscatine opened the following dual against Central with wins by Nimely and Cedric Castillo. After four forfeits and wins by Jett Fridley (120) and Ryan Townsend (145), Tiah closed the dual with a pin of Central’s Zachary Johnson.

“Takpor was the showstopper,” Kane said. “In pretty dramatic fashion he got the pin which was awesome and a fun way to end the night and go into Christmas break.”

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